The New Age of His Reign
by Nurisiliel
Summary: Humans and vampires decimated each other in what became known as World War III. After years of bloody slaughter, the surviving humans and supernatural beings were reunited under the new ruler, the sole king. However, he himself was not yet at peace. Will a young girl coming out of nowhere be able to help him find happiness again? – Sequel to The Hidden Nature.
1. Prologue - 2071

**A/N: Welcome to my new story. **_**The New Age of His Reign**_** is the sequel to **_**The Hidden Nature**_** and I hope you'll like it. Please let me know what you think about it. Thank you very much and happy reading. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own True Blood or any character you may recognize from the show or books. They belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Bell. However, everything else is my own creation.**

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**Prologue**

**2071**

They stood on a snow-covered hill and heard the quiet lamentation of the expectant mother echoing through the peaceful night. It was a full moon night, and as far back as he could remember, the snow had never sparkled so beautifully as on this night. He looked at his companion and once again admired how similar she had become to him by now. She stood proudly with watchful eyes and a face full of joy. When he took her hand, she turned her face to him and smiled at him as she lifted their clasped hands and kissed the back of his hand.

"Do you want to go back?"

"The cold does not bother me, dear one, and I could watch you for hours."

"Ah, I don't think it will take hours... Listen." She looked again towards the brightly lit house and rested her head on his shoulder.

His companion was right, the child was born and instead of the lamentations of the mother the characteristic screaming of a newborn baby now sounded from the house, over the white fields up the hill to them.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy, they have agreed naming him Sören."

Still leaning against his shoulder, she only nodded.

"Come, dear one, I feel that you are tired and you are getting cold."

When he hugged her, she laughed, the sound muffled against his coat. "Oh, min måne, how can I get cold when you're by my side? But alas; let's give the family their privacy."

She breathed a kiss on his lips and looked at him wistfully. "Would you fly with me again, my love?"

"Your love, hm? How could I ever refuse you something?"

When he embraced her even more tightly with his arms, she snuggled up to him and sighed, satisfied.

"The way back is long and my legs aren't as strong as when we first met."

He hugged her even closer and searched her eyes while flying back to their castle. "I wish you would allow me to give you my blood, min sol."

"Well, what is this old body supposed to do with your blood? Aren't you getting tired of my humble self?"

"Never!" he assured her without hesitation.

"Never?"

"Never!"

She stole a quick kiss from his lips. "That's why I love you so much, min måne... Your son banters me at every opportunity because of my snow-white hair, the brittle voice and wrinkled wrinkles," she laughed softly and the sound warmed his heart while he raised his eyebrows.

"It looks like I will have a serious talk with him then."

"Oh... oh," she exclaimed suddenly excited, reminding him of the young woman of so many years ago. "Would you put him over your knee?" She giggled mischievously. "That's something I want to see before I lay down to sleep forever."

"Min sol-" His throat tightened and he closed his eyes in despair. Only the soft touch of her gloved hand on his cheek let him open them again.

"Eighty-seven..." she said, her eyes sparkling with warmth and love. "You have protected and saved me from what has wiped out half of humanity. You created such a great thing and gave peace to all the bereaved, my love. It's not yet my time to go, but when I leave, it will be with a feeling of peace and love in my heart."

Her honest smile melted his fear for the inevitable impending loss. By now they had reached the castle and he sat her carefully down on the balcony of their shared bedroom. When he took her thick coat off of her in the warm room, she looked at him hesitantly.

"If I am no more, will you continue to keep an eye on them all?"

He simply dropped her coat to the floor and was immediately back by her side. Gently he stroked a strand of hair from her face and pulled her to the bed.

"Min sol, what we have now, we have built together. Alone I could not have done it. You always grounded me and finally brought our different races together. You are my Queen and I would never endanger your legacy by not completing my obligations. I will only follow you when I am sure that our family will be able to continue our work without any problems."

Sitting on the bed, he pulled her onto his lap and began wrapping her out of her big scarf, looking at her with a greedy expression in his eyes.

"Oh? Are you hungry tonight, my King?

Her playful tone elicited a seductive growl from his chest. Stroking lovingly over her forehead she leaned her head into his hand, tilting it alluringly to the side. With his nose, he drove slowly from her left ear down her cheek and buried his face in the crook of her neck. When she sighed softly, he kissed her skin.

"But my wrinkled wrinkles-"

"Silence, min sol. You do _not_ have wrinkled wrinkles. For the impudence to tell you something like that, I will not just put him over my knee!"

When she laughed, he could not resist a grin. Then they just looked at each other for several minutes and he swam in the vastness of her soul which shimmered through her eyes.

"Didn't you say something about me being tired?" she teased him minutes later, biting her bottom lip as she had done all her life whenever they were alone in their bedroom.

"Let me remind you that it was you who said that I should spend the rest of the time with you rather than with governmental affairs." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "So, my Queen, let me play with you now and enjoy the time."

He simply reclined onto the sheets and pulled her along.

"Hmmm… I guess my beauty sleep will have to wait..." She nudged the tip of his nose and grinned mischievously.

"But please consider my age, my love," she begged him, laughing, when he tickled her. Grinning, he stopped and slowly rolled around with her so she could lie on the bed. He braced himself with his elbow and began caressing her cheek with his right hand.

"Do not worry, min sol... I would never hurt you. But even if you no longer feel that you are young, I want to show you that you are still the irresistible, beautiful and fiery companion for me which you have always been. And let's not forget about your fangs..." he purred.

Starting with her right wrist, he slowly began to spread kisses on her arm all the way up to her shoulder, never interrupting their eye contact. The love he saw in her eyes almost made him drown in it, and when he reached her lips and stole a long slow kiss, he felt her gently pulling him closer.

"My love, I had a wonderful life and I wish that you will live on after my funeral. Laugh and live… Would you do that for me? I am sure that you can find someone who will peak your interest again. There are so many wonderful beings out there that you can teach so much. And you know, I'm certain that my soul will be reborn and will find you once more. And maybe you will then feel the call that you have missed with me?"

"This is my biggest wish when I cannot keep you in this body with me, min sol..."

He kissed her forehead and tried to free himself from his negative feelings. Because the truth was that he was scared. Inside of him slowly spread a fear that he would not be able to endure the nights without her. For over half a century, she had always been at his side, and apart from his children, he had never loved anyone so much. Without her, the nights would be quieter and lonelier. He would live, yes. But he could not yet foresee what kind of life he would lead.

"Stay with me, min måne. I'm still here. Stay with me." She kissed him passionately, and together, they gave each other the feeling of security in their love until the sun let them sleep peacefully next to each other.


	2. A grave in the nowhere of nature

**Chapter 1 ~ A grave in the nowhere of nature**

It was her birthday. She had been looking forward to it so much. But instead of baking the promised cake together with her family, it was the second worst day of her life so far. The worst day had been two days ago – on that sunny Monday, her father had died and her world had suddenly become darker. Her mother seemed to suffocate from her tears, and if it hadn't been for her grandmother, who had held the little girl in her arms, she would have jumped into the river that cut the landscape behind her family's house, she was grieving that much. She hadn't left her bed since. Neither hunger nor her grandmother's soothing words could get her to leave her room. Being alone had been good for her; she could thus talk to her father without listening ears. Because she was sure that her father was with her – the warmth on her skin despite the darkened room could only be because of his ghostly presence around her.

But if she had known that his funeral was to take place two days later, on her birthday, and that, due to her condition, she wasn't allowed to attend it and to bury his earthly body to say goodbye, she would have swallowed her grief and played the strong little girl she normally was.

Instead, she was still in her room, wearing her finest dress and her little round shoulder bag. Her mother had told her in a tearful voice, but without allowing any objections, that the neighbor would look after her while she and grandma were at the funeral. She had known that there was no point in getting loud. But after she had heard the front door close, anger had come. A blind, ice-cold rage that took all her restraint away from her and to which all her beloved pillows fell victim. Amidst softly swirling white feathers, she threw herself onto her bed, sobbing loudly and pressing her hands to her chest – where her heart wouldn't stop pounding painfully.

How could she live without her father? He had been everything to her! At that moment, she didn't care about the world around her; she cried and cried until her eyes were all swollen. At some point she noticed how she got tired. But she didn't want to sleep, because in her sleep the nightmares would come and she would see her father die again and again. No! She didn't want to relive that under any circumstances. With all her thoughts, all her energy, she wished herself far away. Away from her room, the desolate house and the neighbor, who hadn't come up once to check on her.

Trying to lessen the pain, her body bent into the fetal position, and with closed eyes, she repeated over and over again that she wanted to be somewhere else. This mantra demanded her full attention as it seemed to take on a life of its own in her head.

After a felt eternity, she began to feel strange, as if she was floating. Gentle wind was caressing her hair. But due to her heartache, she found no strength to wonder about it. Only when the floating feeling subsided and she was suddenly tickled in her face and on her naked arms and legs did it wake her up from her lethargy. Not very ladylike she pulled up the snot that was trying to escape her nose and slowly sat up. Her jaw literally fell down at the sight her eyes gave her. She was no longer in her room! The little girl was lying in an endless sea of grass gently swinging in a warm wind.

Absent-mindedly, with her left hand, she began stroking carefully over the grass which, because of the glowing evening light, shimmered in fine colors. At the same time, she looked around herself.

"Hello?"

Her voice sounded weak and speaking hurt, the hours of crying having dried out her throat. But as she slowly stood up and wondered what had happened, euphoria began to spread within her. Her eyes began to glow joyfully and a laugh escaped her throat. Hesitantly at first, but then her laughter became louder. Deep inside, she knew she was supposed to be scared – after all, she had no idea where she was! And this mixture of controversial feelings made her a little hysterical. But it also confirmed something that her father had always told her as a bedtime story. In his stories, his little girl had always been a witch who could ride on broomsticks and talk to flowers.

With her arms outstretched, she began to spin quickly in circles around herself and laughed into the wide plain.

"Do you see, Papa? I really am a witch. Just look what I can do."

Like a young fawn she then jumped around and pretended to fly. Her legs carried her further and further and she barely felt the stones she sometimes stepped on and that brought her some nasty scratches. It was a really wonderful landscape; gentle hills rose here and there, and the lush grass grew as far as her eye could see. Isolated trees broke through the picture and rose majestically into the sky.

The girl didn't know how long she was going on like this, but the longer she jumped and wandered through the tall grass, a warm feeling awakened in her chest that she hadn't know before. It made her curious, for when she stroked her hand over the part of her skin where her heart was, the feeling seemed to intensify and pull her in a certain direction. It almost seemed to her that there was something inside her that was alive. For when she playfully turned in the opposite direction and took a step away from wherever that feeling wanted to guide her, it suddenly disappeared. This sudden emptiness almost took her breath away and tears came back to her eyes. Quickly, she turned around again to where the feeling seemed to lead her and sighed in relief when she felt this strange warm spark within once more.

_Child... Come..._

When not only the warmth spread pleasantly in her chest, lying on her grief like a soft veil and numbing her, but she seemed to hear the breath of a soft voice, her eyes widened. Who or what was that? She couldn't identify what that voice was – male? Female? Could this perhaps be her papa? Had he awakened her powers to bring her here?

"Papa?"

With quick steps she ran off again, carefully taking note to where that invisible voice, that somehow was connected to the warmth inside her, was calling her.

_Yes, child... Come..._

"Papa, is that you? I'm coming, Papa! Wait for me!"

With a throbbing heart and teary eyes she began to run even faster and from then on no longer paid attention to her surroundings. That would almost have been her undoing, for she overlooked a big stone that she stumbled over. But she instinctively caught herself with her arms so as to not hurt herself too seriously. Panting, but without hesitation, she jumped up again and ran on. Further and further she ran until she came to a group of trees that magically called her to them.

Reaching the shades of the trees, she stopped, panting so hard that she had to bend over and rest her hands on her knees for a moment to catch her breath again. But she couldn't look away from the trees for long.

There were three of them and a buzz seemed to be coming from them, causing her to automatically look out for a colony of bees or wasps. But she couldn't find any.

_Come closer, child... Use the light of the day..._

"What does that mean? Hello?"

Now a somewhat queasy feeling spread through her; and as if the voice could feel her insecurity, the warmth in her also increased.

_Have no fear... Look around you..._

Meanwhile, she no longer assumed that the voice was the spirit of her father. It sounded much too soft and clear and had nothing in common with his slightly smoky and deep voice, which she would never forget as long as she lived. No – the closer the young girl had come to the three trees, that despite their wide and sweeping growth swayed elegantly in the wind, the clearer she had heard the timbre of the voice. And it was clearly a woman's. But she was still not afraid, because the voice radiated so much peace and quiet that it even drove away the grief for her father. She prayed that her father felt at least half as much peace in the afterlife as the ghostly voice radiated.

With this new-found calm feeling she entered the shared shadow of the trees and felt a pleasant tingling sensation on her skin. Giggling, she looked at her goose bumps, which spread out on her arms, and slowly walked on to absorb everything around her.

This place had to be sacred, everything else wouldn't make sense. For she knew that it was highly unlikely that three different trees stood in such a strange formation to each other. And she was proud to be able to recognize the trees at the age of now five years old. Yes, her parents had already taught her a lot. With deliberate steps, she walked past the birch on the left and the poplar on her right side and approached the rowan, which stood in the centre of this shape, which for the little girl looked like a rustling and protective roof moving in the wind. There the hum was strongest, and when she stretched out her right hand and touched the bark with her fingertips, it was as if she could see the face of a woman in front of her for a fraction of a second. Shocked, she quickly pulled her hand away and took a step back. But the face hadn't seemed unfriendly as far as she could tell. It had even given her a smile. Taking all her courage together, she looked up into the treetop and spoke to the apparition.

"Is it you who called me? Who are you? Are you a ghost, like my papa?"

She didn't know what she was expecting, but certainly not that the voice would sound clearly from behind her back. And not only that, the voice was followed by a gentle laugh that magically melted her anxiety away within seconds and left her in a deep relaxed state.

_I am here, dear child... Turn around… _

The girl couldn't help but obey. And what she saw astonished her. How could she have missed it when she walked to the trees? In front of her was an upright grey stone embedded in the ground with a wider underside. It was half her height and with rounded corners, giving it a delicate softness. But what captivated the girl most were the many small bright dots on the stone that looked like sparkling stars. Under them were elaborately carved curved lines and the silhouette of a cat-like animal that had proudly raised its head. With a gasp she suddenly realized that it had to be a gravestone!

Her legs became weak and with an almost silent sigh she let herself fall to her knees. The soft grass dampened her fall, and with a shaky hand, she stretched out her arm to caress the gravestone devoutly. Should this be a coincidence? Was it perhaps even her father's grave? But that couldn't be – neither was the earth stirred up, nor were there fresh flowers. And the young girl knew that both her mother and her grandmother had wanted to lay flowers on her father's grave. In addition, the grave inscription wasn't in her mother tongue. Sure, she couldn't read yet, but she realized that the letters looked different than what the adults around her wrote in everyday life.

Following an inspiration, she suddenly opened her little bag and took out her mini sketchpad and the small pencil she always carried with her. She wanted to copy whatever was written there by drawing the letters and later try to figure out what it meant. And so she set to work.

_Yes, child... That is the beginning..._

It was only a faint whisper now and she had no idea what that meant, but the pleasantly warm feeling in her chest intensified and so she was sure that she wasn't doing anything wrong. Two or three times she had to cross out single letters because she hadn't managed to copy the curves correctly. But a little eternity later, she had captured all the writing on the small piece of paper and closed her book with a broad smile.

After she had securely stowed her booklet and pencil again, she closed her eyes for a moment and enjoyed the gentle silence and peacefulness of this place. Only the rustling of the leaves and grasses due to the mild wind and the gentle chirping of the birds reached her ears. For endless minutes she didn't move and gave herself completely to the sounds of the flora and fauna.

The longer she sat there, however, an idea grew: she wanted to pay her last respects to her father at this grave, even if it wasn't his. She quickly opened her little bag again and took out the picture that she had painted for him to say goodbye. It wouldn't lie in his grave with his mortal remains, but she was thankful that at least she could deposit it here for him and hope that his spirit could find it. Starting to sing a song that her father had taught her, she placed her picture right in front of the gravestone and weighted all four corners with small stones so that it couldn't be blown away by the wind. After singing the last verse of the song, she closed her eyes again for a minute of silence. Basically, she had no idea how a funeral was to be held; therefore she just let her instinct guide her.

But then something strange happened again. Suddenly, threads seemed to run around her to the gravestone which she could see with her eyes still closed. Shocked, she then opened them and looked around hectically. Right, left, behind her... everywhere the same picture – these threads... no. They were energy lines! She realized that when she started feeling a deep buzzing of energy around her. And from second to second it seemed to become more; it was as if pulsating lights were flowing from the three trees to the grave. And they seemed to always meet in one place: Right between her knees and her picture for her father.

Nervously, she watched what was happening, but apart from the pulsating light, which became constantly brighter and brighter, gathered in front of and frightening her, nothing else happened. Until, from one second to the next, a ball of light materialized before her eyes, only to slowly fade away a little later. Even before that ball of light had completely disappeared, the girl realized that there was now a book lying in front of her.

"How is that possible?"

She wasn't aware that she had asked her question out loud. Only when the unknown voice answered her did she realize it.

_Magic, dear child... You have found me... Come, try to open the book..._

The young girl was quite curious. She had always been attracted to magical things and now that she knew she was apparently a witch, she wanted to find out as much as possible about it. Nevertheless, she hesitated and the spirit behind the voice seemed to notice that.

_What is on your mind, my child? Tell me, so that I can appease your concerns..._

"I have no concerns," the girl quickly brought forth. "But I cannot read yet and my parents have taught me not to snoop around in other people's things."

_They have raised you well... But I can tell you that this book was written for you..._

"What? How can that be?"

Doubting it, she carefully stretched out her right hand towards the book and ran her fingers over the cover. No writing was printed on it, only intertwined forms. The longer she traced the lines with her eyes and then also with her fingers, the more she was captivated by them. Unconsciously, she lifted the book up and placed it in her lap when the gentle voice resounded again. She sounded really content and somehow the girl was happy about it.

_Yes, my little one... Do you feel how it calls you? Open it..._

Why not actually? It wasn't as if she was doing it against the permission of the voice. So why should she have a bad feeling about it? After all, she had only come here through a strange calling and a warm feeling within her chest, and now she felt a desire towards the book that she couldn't ignore because of that calling and feeling. It was as if her blood wanted her to open it. Still not releasing her gaze from the intertwined forms, she nonetheless managed to ask a question.

"I... I'm feeling strange. Like having ants under my skin inside my blood. Why is that?"

_Oh, my dear child... It isn't only your blood... Haven't you been led here first by your heart? And didn't your curiosity then let you copy the inscription on my gravestone? _

This news made the girl listen even more attentively.

_And yes, then your blood responded too... For I let this book be wooed with a spell that addresses the body through the blood, the spirit through curiosity and the soul through the heart... And if you can open the book, I know that his waiting has come to an end..._

"Who are you? Please tell me. And who is... _he_?"

At the same time she ran her left hand over the cover again, then hooked her fingers under and opened the first page. She couldn't say what she had expected – a fanfare? Fireworks? Butterflies flying out of the book? She giggled because of her imaginative ideas and simply accepted that this book was meant for her. But for what purpose?

_I was right... Take a look at it, my dear child... It won't be in your possession for long for now. But when you remember it again, you will be able to call it to you... Then you will be able to read it and know who I was and who is waiting for you... But for now, goodbye, dear child..._


	3. The interruption of an anniversary

**Chapter 2 ~ The interruption of an anniversary**

As soon as the last rays of the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, they set off. The last strands of yellow and red blurred with the dark blue of the sky until the day finally gave way to a not so warm and cloudless night. Soon, the nighttime sky was alit with thousands of sparkling stars, and beneath the glow of the moon, the two dark figures flew towards their destination and finally landed silently beside the gravestone. As every year they wanted to commemorate the woman who had found her eternal rest here.

What they hadn't expected, however, was a little sleeping human girl lying in the grass in front of the rowan, surrounded by a few berries and holding in her arms _that book_ that was supposed to be in the safe of their private chambers thousands of miles away... How could that be?

Normally, they spoke little to nothing during their stay because they didn't need words to communicate. After the death of their queen, they had strengthened their bond to catch each other's grief. Since then it had been again like 1228 years ago, when the older had made the younger one a creature of the night. Like back then Eric felt as if their soul was divided between two bodies, they were that close to each other.

He therefore felt immediately what was going on in Godric. Unbelief, curiosity, anger and sadness alternated in quick succession and hardly let him have his own thoughts.

"How did she get here? This place should be protected!"

The deep growl of his maker also vibrated in Eric's chest because of their bond. It was almost painful and in an attempt to distract himself from it, he looked around to see if there were any more surprises lurking for both of them. But the only thing he saw was Enid's grave, which for the first time in many long years hadn't been left untreated since their last visit, but shone in a sea of flowers. But the flowers weren't laid on the grave. No. They grew around and on the last resting place of their Enid. Only in the middle was a small gap, and when Eric curiously bent over it, he saw a simple child's drawing that the girl had probably placed there.

When he straightened up again, turned to Godric and saw that he had meanwhile kneeled down next to the girl and stared at her with an unfathomable look, he realized that his feelings had turned into a confusion of attraction and questioning ambiguity. Astonished, he came nearer to the unequal couple and took a closer look at his maker. A sublime silence seemed to have taken possession of his appearance. His gaze was clearly set on the girl's face, who breathed calmly in her sleep with her lips slightly open. The longer Eric watched the scene, the more the chaos in Godric calmed down that he felt through their connection.

"Godric?"

He got no reaction – neither inward nor outward. Smiling, he crouched down on the other side of the girl and tilted his head.

"Godric? Is anyone present in there?"

When again no reaction occurred, Eric nudged him over their bond and finally his counterpart showed a movement. Godric blinked unnecessarily several times, as if he were awakening from a trance.

That gave him food for thought. Because the last time Eric had seen him like that was many years ago in the presence of Enid.

_'Could it be...?'_

As if shocked by his own behavior, Godric jumped up and took a few steps away from the sleeping child. Carefully, Eric pulled the book out from under the girl's arm and stepped up to him.

"Do you want to hear my theory?"

With an angry expression on his face, Godric turned away from the girl and stared up into the starry night. Again, Eric got no other reaction and shook his head with a sigh.

"Hellooo... Do I have to hit your head with Thor's hammer or could you please concentrate on me?"

"It is wrong."

It was just a whisper, and with a raised eyebrow, he stared at his maker. But again Godric's lips seemed to be sealed.

Eric sighed deeply once more and turned away to sit in front of the grave like every year. But this time he didn't have a silent dialogue with his mother, sister and friend, but expressed his thoughts in words to get Godric out of his seemingly still prevailing trance.

"Long time no see, little cat. Another year has passed and we are here again. But this time you have probably already got yourself a companion for this night? She would definitely be too young for me, but you've always had a knack for little human beings, haven't you?"

After his greeting, he closed his eyes and prepared to wait patiently. But almost immediately he heard the soft laughter of Enid's soul, whose presence had become weaker over the years, but was still clearly audible in his mind. It was nice to hear her laugh, at least once a year, and as always, he quietly thanked the spirits of the three sisters who had woven this spell and made sure that Godric and he could overcome their painful loss.

_It is an order of life... His soul threatened again to lose itself in darkness..._

"So it's true? She carries a part of your soul? She's your rebirth?"

"No!"

A shattering growl echoed into the night and interrupted Eric's thoughts. He looked at Godric, startled. His face was distorted with rage, his eyes blacker than the night, and he radiated a deadly omnipotence unparalleled.

_He felt it... You saw him... how he looked at her..._

Unconsciously, Eric leaned away from the growling Death and let himself be enveloped by Enid's soft and gentle presence. In such a state he hadn't seen his maker for centuries. Not even when he had given Enid his blood after the bomb explosion in Dallas 149 years ago. Knowing that every word could now be a provocation, he humbly lowered his head and stretched both hands toward his maker with palms pointing upwards. Eric didn't know what had caused this reaction, why Godric had so completely lost his temper, but he felt that this gesture of submission was necessary right then and there.

"Isn't it good that she's here? Now we know Enid was right and we can protect the girl as she gets older and-"

"No soul will ever replace my Enid! _Min sol!_"

"So it's not that you don't want to admit it. You don't want to accept it?"

"Stop talking, child!"

"Why? Father, you also have a right to feel happiness again. You-"

He wasn't able to talk any more. An unspeakable pain exploded in his jaw when Godric not only closed Eric's mouth with his hand, but also with his deadly power.

"Do I really have to repeat myself? Never. Ever. Will some soul replace the _one_ that was mine. Do not dare say something so sacrilegious again! Never again. As your maker I command you!"

It was a game with fire. Eric actually knew better, but blinded by Enid's gentle presence, he couldn't prevent all the anger and sadness she had had caused him to feel and accumulate because she had chosen to die instead of choosing an immortal life by Godric's side, from suddenly finding a way out. With a mark-shattering scream and a rage that matched that of his maker, he pushed Godric away and jumped on his feet.

"You command me not to talk about it? For all I care. But what you cannot forbid me to talk about is your obligation to the people. You have given an oath, always to give all your strength and your thoughts for the new beginning. To this new life! And what do you do? Drifting more and more into the darkness, as you did then. Do not think that we haven't noticed it. You are no longer able to fulfill your duties to your people if you think of following her. You-"

**Håll tyst!**

It was neither growling nor screaming. Eric wished it had been one. Instead Godric used their bond to silence him. Good thing Eric didn't have to breathe, because he wouldn't have been able to. Every muscle and fiber in his body had frozen to ice. Slowly, like a cat of prey, Godric came closer and was only inches away from Eric's face when he snarled at him.

"You are talking about my responsibilities, child? Is it not my duty to come here every year on the anniversary of her death and take care of her grave? It was not me who disturbed that. It was that human being there! It was to be a peaceful night full of memories. Instead a baby is placed in front of me who wants to sneak into my heart! I will never allow that."

Before Eric noticed, the book was ripped from his hand and disappeared into Godric's coat.

"This girl means nothing to me. Remove her from here and take away her memory of this place. If you do not do it, I will find and kill her. And if you doubt that I can fulfill my obligations, it will be your task from this night on! As your maker, I command you!"

Again Eric was shaken in the depths of their connection and seconds later panting unnecessarily air into his lungs when Godric's icy grip suddenly disappeared. He felt like a drowning man and could do nothing but look after the one he owed his immortal life to as he flew off into the night.

An indescribable cold wanted to seize him, but again Enid's warm presence was there, hugging and preventing him from freezing completely once more.

_Everything will be fine... _

"How can you be sure?"

_Turn around... Look at her... _

Eric followed her request and noticed in amazement that the girl was awake and had sat up. She must have woken up from the loud argument between Godric and him. But no fear was visible in her eyes. Just an unfathomable stare into the night where his maker had disappeared. How could she not be afraid, when even Eric had trembled inwardly at Death?

_Look, Eric... Do you see it? She feels it too, even if she can't assign it yet. Her soul knew that he would be here tonight and led her here..._

"I will have to glamour her to forget about all this."

As sad as it made him, Eric couldn't escape this command.

_I know... But have no fear, she is now connected with my book, our story, and when she gets older, everything will come right... And he didn't forbid you to watch her grow up, did he? When you talk to her, be gentle, she has lost her father..._

With a nod he stepped closer to the girl and crouched down next to her under the gently swinging branches of the rowan. That attracted the girl's attention and she turned her eyes to Eric. A timid smile graced her lips and he caught himself smiling back.

"Who are you, girl?"

Eric didn't know why, but uncertainty then spread across her face. He quickly tried to calm her down.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. Please tell me who you are and where you come from, little girl."

Now clearly nervous, she chewed on her bottom lip. When she finally answered, Eric couldn't believe it.

"Я не понимаю, что вы говорите, сэр...

"There are still people who speak Russian?"

_The world has become emptier, Eric... But nevertheless, yes, there are still people living there..._

"Damn it! It's one of the few languages I've never spoken. How will she understand my glamour then?"

Enid's laughter enveloped him and warmed his heart. At the same time he remembered her comment with the girl's father.

"You understood her? How? You couldn't speak Russian either."

_That's right... But don't forget I am a spirit and connected with all beings now... She isn't aware of this, but we have spoken to each other in a universal way. But for now I can help you two to understand each other... Let me in, I lead you..._

With gratitude he accepted her help and shortly afterwards felt how her warmth not only enveloped but drove into his chest and filled him from within. For an endless minute, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of her presence inside him again.

"Сэр?"

The girl's high children's voice led Eric back to the present, and with renewed confidence, he placed a hand on his chest and looked at the girl.

"Eric. I am Eric."

With a smile he then pointed his hand at her and tilted his head questioningly. At first the little girl frowned, but then she seemed to understand and her face brightened.

"Эрик? Тебя зовут Эрик?"

"Да."

Astonished, his eyes widened and in his mind he heard Enid's airy laughter.

"Меня зовут Лeaнна."

She proudly announced her name and Eric couldn't help but notice that she had the same confident and cheerful character like Enid when Eric had first met her over a lifetime ago, despite the difference in age of the two females.

With a barely audible sigh he set about his task and caught the girl's eye without any problems.

"Leanna..."

Carefully, he formulated his words which would make the girl forget this place, him and Godric for now. But with no word he mentioned the call she had felt and followed. To find out exactly where she came from and to be able to follow her, he quickly pricked his index finger on a fang and trickled a drop of blood into her mouth. Still trapped in his glamour, she let it pass without resistance and when he ordered her to return home the same way she had come, she stood up obediently and closed her eyes.

At first nothing happened, but then she began to shine in a soft green light and she became translucent until finally disappearing completely. Eric had already seen many things in the more than 1000 years he had been walking through the nights of this world. But a teleportation spell wasn't one of them.

"Witch..." he whispered.

_Yes... It is certainly no coincidence... He needs someone who can captivate him with her very own life magic..._

"But how can she be so powerful already being still so young? That worries me. What if more powerful witches live where she comes from and want to disturb the balance that we have built up?"

_I am confident that she will soon come into your sphere of influence... Just be patient... And in regard to your fear: You know, children have a special access to magic... What we have seen tonight is simply her innate abilities... She isn't yet bound by social norms and laws to how she has to use her magic later on..._

With these breathed words in his mind, Enid released Eric and let the berries float that the girl hadn't eaten. As if carried by the wind, they floated to the grave and came down next to the girl's drawn picture.

"Now the flowers no longer surprise me knowing that... Leanna... is a witch."

It was a pleasant and melodic name, and smirking, he thought of Godric. His maker would surely find her interesting too as soon as he came down from his negative denial trip. At least Eric hoped that he could leave this phase behind at some point...

_Have faith, Eric... _

He only answered with a nod and then concentrated on his blood. Wherever the girl was at home, it was at least an hour's flight southeast of him – flying fast.

"Well, the night is still young. I'll see what conditions our little hopeful lives in."

Feeling Enid's approval in every fiber of his body, he turned back to her presence and bowed gracefully.

"See you next year, little cat."

_Let yourself be carried by the wings of Hugin and Munin, my Viking..._

Once again smirking, he nodded one last time and then rose into the air towards the formerly huge country that was once called Russia.

He neither heard the gentle laughter of Enid's spirit, nor did he see how her gaze turned to the south instead of his heading.

_Just be a little more patient, my dear Eric..._

With a last smile her presence faded and withdrew from the earthly sphere. And under the warm light of the moon peace returned to that valley, hidden in the nowhere of nature up in the north.

…

On his flight to the little girl's home, Eric realized once again how quiet it had become in the world. Hardly any light brightened the vastness beneath him and the sounds he heard came exclusively from the wind or the animals of the night. It was like a journey into the past for him – the closer he got to his blood in Leanna, the more untouched nature became. It was a beautiful feeling to be master of the vastness, like when he had roamed the infinite forests of Europe with Godric, before they were cut down bit by bit. At the same time he already missed the pulsating life that was still raging in Copenhagen nowadays. But for a little girl this life was certainly perfect, as it ensured a carefree upbringing. Well, provided one beloved parent didn't die...

Nearing his destination, Eric slowed his flight until he settled in the top of a big tree. In front of him stood a two-story house on a flat plateau which was crossed by a meandering river and surrounded by small and larger hills as well as a forest. He could hear quiet noises in there, the squeaking of floorboards, the electric humming of a lamp on the lower floor and the quiet breathing of the little girl who seemed to have her room on the upper floor.

He quietly left his position and floated closer to Leanna's window. Luckily for him, she hadn't closed the curtains, so he could look unhindered into her little realm. What he saw there made him frown though. Her room was a desert place full of torn pillows and books lying around. And right in the middle of it, the little human slept calmly on her bed, still wearing her black dress and the small wounds she had probably suffered from walking barefoot through Enid's valley. Eric felt, however, that the one drop of blood had already begun to unfold its healing effect. In the next few minutes, these wounds would be gone for good.

After watching Leanna sleep for a while and at the same time listening into her through the delicate bond his blood had created, Eric nodded contentedly. Her chest raised and lowered evenly and he felt it was a dreamless sleep. The one drop he had given her wasn't enough to let her dream of him but still enough to heal her wounds and improve her health by the end of the night.

He was about to turn away to head back to Copenhagen when a terrible creaking sound of the staircase penetrated his ear. This house really had to be very old... Then the door to Leanna's room opened and an old woman was about to enter. She stopped for a moment though and Eric clearly saw her incredulous expression when she became aware of the chaos. But then her expression turned into a deep sadness and her gaze moved to the little girl. With a soft sigh she approached the bed and settled down on the edge of it. Nothing happened for the next half minute and Eric was about to turn away again when the old woman finally began to speak quietly.

"Has it already begun? Where will you lead us, my little one?"

Hearing these words, Eric's focus was immediately back on the two humans in the small room and he had to pull himself together to not draw the woman's attention to him or even to glamour her into revealing everything she knew about the girl. Instead, he saw her carefully lifting first the girl's arm and then her head to take off her little bag and put it on the table. But the clasp was open and so a pen and a small booklet fell out and landed on the floor with the cover facing up. The old woman picked both up and looked for a felt eternity at the page of the booklet that had been opened when falling down.

Luckily for him, she held the book so high that Eric could also take a look at the page. And what he saw conjured a proud smirk on his face. Because although it was hard to read and the letters were more painted than written, Eric would recognize the words everywhere.

'You little minx… You really made sure yourself that you would have a memory despite my glamour. Very clever, girl.'

Most content with this outcome, he let his body merge with the wind and thus drift away from the girl's window. Whatever would happen in the next few years would be good. He was sure of that now. With one last look at the girl and the old woman who lovingly stroked a strand of hair from the child's face and still held the open booklet in her hand, he bowed elegantly in the air and spoke the words that Godric and he had chiseled into Enid's gravestone with their own hands:

_Väninna, älskarinna, frälsare, maka... för evigt i mitt hjärta. __Tills vi möts igen väntar jag på dig. __Evinnerligt._

* * *

Friend, beloved, savior, wife... forever in my heart. Until we meet again, I am waiting for you. Forever.

I wish you all a happy New Year.


End file.
